THE YUMA LAKES SCAM

This billboard sign is located on Hwy 95 at Ave 7E, just outside of Yuma, AZ.

Our day started pretty routinely in Tucson, AZ, and ended anything but routine in Yuma, AZ. When we finished our laundry, and pulled out of Lazy Days RV Park, it was late morning. After a Wally World Stop on the outskirts of Tucson, and a fuel & propane stop at the Flying J in Eloy, we were on the road to Yuma, where the plan is to hang out for a few days before we attend the Gypsy Journal RV Rally at the fairgrounds.

Our specific destination was the Yuma Lakes RV Resort, a part of the Colorado River Adventures membership network (CRA), located off Hwy 95, a few miles northeast of Yuma. Somewhere in our travels, we had collected a brochure (see below) that offered free camping, and a $100 gift certificate to WalMart, simply for listening to their sales pitch. Even though the brochure states that the phone numbers for the different resorts is for information, and directions only, I called several weeks ago to try and confirm that this offer was legitimate. When the recording ended, I left a message regarding the brochure & our call back number. No surprise, the call was never returned.

Flash forward to a little after 5pm yesterday, when we pulled into Yuma Lakes, and stopped at the gate house. Within a few minutes, a gentleman pulled up in his golf cart, and we exchanged pleasantries. It went downhill from there! When I showed him the brochure with no expiration date, he said they weren't honoring that anymore. What? How can you put out a very attractive offer with no disclaimers like "limited time only", and then say "sorry, that's not good any more".

OK, now I'm pissed off, and if you're on the receiving end, that's not a good thing! I then asked the guy "what about the big billboard sign out on the highway, offering full hookup RV camping for $10 per night? He said "we're not honoring that anymore either, and I've been telling them for weeks, to have that sign taken down". He further stated that "we get 2 or 3 rigs a week pulling in because of that sign, and we have to turn them away".

As this conversation is getting more heated by the second, Patty, sensing that perhaps something ugly is developing, came quickly out of the motor home. She caught the tail end of the confrontation, where I demanded to see the manager. Of course, he wasn't available, with some sort of excuse that he had to take his wife to a medical appointment.

Seeing no way forward, other than perhaps to just refuse to move the motor home away from blocking part of the resort entrance, which I considered, I decided to retreat from this battle, and concentrate on winning the war.

We've all probably had some experience with the classic bait & switch tactics of less than honorable businesses, but this is beyond that. In this case, there isn't even a switch, it's all bait. When the owners or management of a business decide to pursue a promotional, or marketing strategy, it's paramount that they understand the unintended consequences of not ending that promotion in a responsible manner. Like perhaps taking down the sign if you're not honoring what it advertises, or at least recognizing that without limitations, these brochures can be out there for a very long time.

OK, where do we go from here. I suspect that most people would just say "oh well", and head on down the road. Well, I'm not most people when it comes to crap like this. There will be more to this story, and if nothing else, I WILL get the satisfaction of knowing that someone will have to answer some questions, if not to me, then possibly to a county or state official with a little more horsepower. This kind of bull$*@#, is simply not acceptable. There are business statutes that prohibit blatant cases of false advertising. It deserves someone to take it to the next level, and I'm that person. The phrase "I'm your worst nightmare" is more than appropriate, and my parting words to the guy in the golf cart was, "you haven't heard the end of this"!

Stay tuned.............................

The only disclaimers in the fine print are RV owner couples only, good health between 30 & 75, no group tours, and must be US citizen with 2 forms of ID. No expiration date, and no reservations "JUST COME IN!"

HORSE'N AROUND

Monday morning began at the Tucson Rodeo grounds, our 14th day of dry camping without any water or electrical hookups. After I got the scooter loaded onto the rack at the back of the motor home, we drove down the street to Lazy Days RV park, and checked in. Oh No, "the water is turned off for the entire park" was the admonition from the person behind the counter. She thought it would be back on around 2pm, and thankfully, we still had water in our fresh water tank. Patty wanted to get started on our mountain of laundry, but it would have to wait.

Like whirling durbishes, we both attacked the inside of the motor home that had become a bigger dust bowl than the mid west of the 1930's. After a couple of hours, everything was back to normal, and we both felt a lot better. The outside will have to wait, but I did get over to the quarter car wash, and the jeep is also back to it's normally clean self.

Marc called to remind me that Laila had another horseback riding lesson at 3:30, and when the water was turned back on at 2:30, I took Patty and the mountain of dirty clothes over to the Laundromat. She started 3 washers full of clothes, only to discover that in just a few minutes, the water had been turned back off. Swell, now there were 3 loads of wet clothes that were still dirty.

While Patty was dealing with that problem, and was waiting for a friend to arrive, I drove to the stables, and along with Chandra, watched Laila ride Magic for about a half hour. I think this was her 4th lesson, and she has learned how to use the reins, and according to her instructor, has a pretty good kick to get the horse moving. A small child on a big horse can be a bit intimidating at first, but Laila was pretty much in control. When the instructor got Magic to trot, Laila was still trying to master posting, where the rider alternately stands and sits in rhythm with the animal. She did let go with both hands, which was a progression in her learning to be more comfortable on the horse.

The wind was blowing pretty good yesterday, so the dust was getting in all of our eyes, but Laila was pretty focused on what she was doing. When the lesson was over, I said adios, and that Patty and I would be over to the house in an hour or so.

When I got back to the motor home, Patty's friend Joan, and her husband Ted, who live outside of Tucson, were visiting. They were reminiscing about their first meeting on the trail at the Grand Canyon this past summer, and we shared some of our stories about traveling to varied places like Alaska. When Sami started her feed me dance, we knew the visit with Joan & Ted was about to end, as we had to be back at Marc & Chandra's, where we were going to head out somewhere for dinner.

We gathered up all of the wet clothes, Patty got her quarters back from the office, and we drove over to see our kids, and granddaughter for one last time. We had dinner at Buddy's, a restaurant close by that we've eaten at before. After dinner, we said our goodbyes, got big hugs, and firmed up our next visit to Tucson in about 4 weeks, when we'll be picking up Laila during her Easter vacation. She knows that she's going somewhere with us, but the destination is still a secret. Should be lots of fun with all of the attractions in the San Diego area.

This morning, after we turn the wet, dirty clothes back into clean, dry clothes, we're heading to Yuma for the Gypsy Journal RV Rally, where we'll be meeting our buddy Nancy, who's towing her 5th wheel trailer down from Merced, CA.

IT'S A WRAP

Our 9 days of working the Tucson Rodeo is minutes away from being over.

As the sun was settling just above the western mountains yesterday afternoon, the last flurry of business was being conducted, and we were about to close the big doors for another year at the Tucson Rodeo.

Jim Maxie from MainGate, flew into Tucson from Indianapolis, arriving just before noon. In the last 2 weeks, he has crossed the country twice, putting in the miles both by truck, and by air. This morning, he starts the last eastbound leg back to Indy.

I took this picture as Jim was connecting the tractor to the trailer, and just before he pulled out of the rodeo grounds. Our sales for the entire rodeo were down from last year, and that's not what we wanted to happen. When ever we work these events for MainGate, one of our objectives is to increase business over the previous year, but it just wasn't in the cards this time. One of the main issues was the fact that we had almost perfect weather for the entire 9 days of the rodeo. The crowds were some of the biggest in recent years, but the warm weather actually hurt sales. The higher dollar items like sweatshirts are after thoughts, and people are more focused on t-shirts, and $3 tubes of sunscreen. As the saying goes, "it is what it is", and we know we did everything we could to maximize sales.

We are hopeful that despite the lower sales volume, MainGate will continue the relationship with the Tucson Rodeo. As long as the Phoenix Drag Race takes place during the same time frame, the logistics and costs for the rodeo are somewhat mitigated, but we realize that it's a year to year thing.

Jim has the trailer connected, and is about to start the drive back to Indianapolis.

This morning, we're moving just down the street to Lazy Days RV park, where we'll be away from the dust, and have an opportunity to do some much needed cleaning. Tomorrow, we'll be heading for Yuma, where the Gypsy Journal RV Rally begins this coming weekend.

IT'S RODEO

Today is our last work day here at the 87th annual Tucson Rodeo, and tomorrow, we're moving just down the street to the Lazy Days RV park for one night. Before heading to Yuma, we need a day to clean the accumulation of dust that's gathered just about everywhere inside the motor home. We've been parked with several RV's on the north end of the rodeo grounds, and all of the activity in the dirt parking lot in front of us has created that fine layer of material that seems to find its way into every nook and cranny.

This will be the first time back at the old Beaudry RV since they went bankrupt, and the property was sold to Lazy Days RV out of Florida. We ordered this motor home from the old Beaudry, and it was one of those cases where I would take a "do over" if I had the chance. It wasn't a surprise when they went bankrupt.

These photos are ones that I took a few days ago, of the competitors during one of the slack days. Rodeo is truly an all American sport, and these cowboys are athletes in the truest since of the word. If you're at the very top of the sport, the world champions gross around 200-300 thousand a year. For the other several thousand professionals, their annual earnings are much less, and their days on the road would make a full time RVer's schedule look like a walk in the park!

This calf is about to get 3 of its legs tied up.

The chase is on to catch the steer, and for the cowboy to wrestle it to the ground.

This steer just got "bulldogged", and is about to be out muscled.

Oops, score a win for the steer who got away.

I just responded to an email from my oldest son Michael, who is deployed to Afghanistan as part of his government job with the National Security Agency. The good news is the current upheaval and rioting hasn't affected him, and he's OK. He did pose the question that the recent blog picture of Laila feeding our Beagle some Ben & Jerry's ice cream, was cruel and unusual punishment, since there's no such luxury over there. Stay safe kiddo, we'll all be glad when you get back home!

IMAGES FROM THE TRAILER

During the National Anthem, people stop walking, and hats come off. Patriotism abounds in the western culture.

Our view from the merchandise trailer where we have been working, is about as good as it gets, if your inclined to people watch. We our positioned next to the main horse pathway into the arena, and on the pedestrian thoroughfare that circles around the grandstands. Obviously, the dress code at a rodeo is western in nature, but during the course of the day, we see just about everything.

A few mornings ago, while I had gone to the restroom, Patty had one of the rodeo contestants ride up to our counter on horseback to make a purchase. This happens just about every year, and gives new meaning to the phrase "drive through."

These little cowgirls were about as cute as they come.

This young cowgirl had just won the Junior Rodeo Barrel Racing contest.

As I mentioned yesterday, the weather has been almost ideal, with temperatures in the upper 70's. If you're a spectator sitting in the grandstands, it just doesn't get much better. For our sales, it isn't such a good thing. Our purchases of sunscreen is way up, but not very many people are thinking about warm clothing like sweatshirts. In years past, when it's been a bit chilly, and the wind is blowing, the sales of long sleeve items has risen dramatically. Not the case this year.

Part of the ladies drill team on horseback. They open each rodeo performance with precision riding.

Tomorrow is the last rodeo day, and that's the day when the bulk of the prize money is distributed during the final rodeo performance. One of the committee members told me that he thought this years total purse was around $130,000.

Even though we both enjoy working this event, it is work, and like any job, their are certain responsibilities that must be taken seriously. When it's over, there's a certain sigh of relief, and it will be nice to once again be "retired".

PARADE DAY

The Tucson Rodeo Parade is billed as the largest non-motorized parade in the world. No floats powered by hidden motors or conveyances, just pure horse power. The Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum here on the rodeo grounds, has just about every kind of wagon, buggy or carriage ever built, and they're all used in the parade. If a business wants to advertise in the parade, it simply reserves and rents one of the wagons, either rents or supplies its own horses, and that business has an entry in the parade. When you factor in all of the private horse drawn devices, the marching bands, and other entries, this is one very large parade that goes on for a couple of hours.

I took these photos from the rodeo grandstands, just before the parade arrived. As you can see, the streets are lined with people on both sides of the roadway. The rodeo and parade are such a big deal here in Tucson, the schools are closed Wednesday through Friday of rodeo week, and the kids are a big part of the crowd at the rodeo.

Today is day 7 of the 9 day rodeo, and we're getting close to the end. The weather has been the best that we can both remember, with temps in the 70's, and yesterday, it hit 80 degrees. Lots of the folks who make purchases at our trailer, are snowbirds from as far north as Canada, and despite the mild winter across North America, this southwest weather doesn't get much better.

A GRANDMA DAY

Laila's sleep over spot in the motor home.

Grandma is helping Laila pick out a new rodeo shirt.

Yesterday was the last of the 3 slack days, and there wasn't a whole lot going on. This was a good day for Patty to spend some time with Laila while I worked in the trailer. I open up for business every morning around 8:30, even though the only people inside the rodeo grounds at that hour are either contestants, or workers. During rodeo performance days, the gates don't open to the public until 11am, but we catch a few early sales, and I have time to take care of some daily housekeeping chores.

The only activity yesterday was barrel racing that began at 10am, and some senior team roping after that. Everything was finished by 1pm, and I closed up at about 1:30.

While I handled a few sales, Patty & Laila had a leisurely morning together in the motor home, and Laila had her favorite breakfast of pancakes. The two of them made it over to the arena at 10am, and they watched the ladies turn and burn around the barrels. When that was finished, Laila decided that she was hungry again (this kid sometimes has the appetite of a sparrow), and wanted a corn dog for lunch. So, she and Grandpa walked over to the one food trailer that was open, for a corn dog, and of course I had to have a cheeseburger. Couldn't let my granddaughter eat alone.

After lunch, Patty and Laila returned to the arena to watch some of the roping action, and by 1pm, it was all over. No matter what day it is, we always stay open as long as there are people wandering around, and by 1:30, it was once again a ghost town.

It must have taken Laila a half hour to finish this rainbow ice cream cone, but she didn't allow even one drip onto her hands.

The ice cream is almost gone, and somebody has decided she doesn't want her picture taken.

After we closed the trailer, we walked over to where the wagons were being prepared for this mornings parade. We had a couple of hours before Marc picked up Laila, and they were off to meet Aunt Claudia and Uncle Marty, where Laila's spending the weekend. We'll get together one more time on Monday after the rodeo is over, and before we head to Yuma for the Gypsy Journal RV Rally.

Today is day 6 of 9 here at the Tucson Rodeo, and this is an event that we thoroughly enjoy working. In fact, I don't even consider it work. Over the years, we've gotten to know a whole bunch of people who are part of the Tucson Rodeo Committee, and it's an opportunity to visit with all of those folks who make us feel like part of the family.

GRANDDAUGHTER TIME

A steer wrestler about to tackle his 4 legged adversary.

Once again for the second day, the slack competition was wrapped up a few minutes after 3pm, and we were closed by 3:30. The crowds have been OK these past two days, but the majority of spectators are school kids on field trips. School kids = no money = no sales. These 3 days of rodeo are not good sales days, but we sell a few things, and we still open the trailer at about 8:30 each morning. Tomorrow is the big parade, and the beginning of 4 rodeo performances, when sales will pick up.

Laila's feeding Sami Grandpa's left over Ben & Jerry's

After we closed the trailer, we drove over to Marc & Chandra's, where we picked up Laila for a sleepover with Grandma & Grandpa. When we got back to the rodeo grounds, we took Laila for a little tour on the scooter, then Grandma & Laila played a board game for awhile.

Chandra was on a plane this morning for Monterey, CA, where she has to take care of some estate business, and pick up her parents car. Marc is picking Laila up this afternoon, and taking her to Aunt Claudia, & Uncle Marty's in Phoenix, where she will spend the weekend. Marc is flying to Monterey Friday, and they're both driving back this weekend. I think I'm getting tired just thinking about their schedule for the next few days.

Laila's ready to go for a ride, "C'mon Grandpa".

We were told yesterday, that there will only be about 2 hours of slack competition this morning, starting around 10am. The activity will just be lady barrel racers, so perhaps Grandma & Laila will get over to the arena to watch some of the action.

Yep, we're hams.

FUTURE COWBOYS & COWGIRLS

Little kids are kind of like puppies & kittens. They're just plain cute! Throw in a western hat, a big belt buckle, a pair of boots, and these little people are photo opportunities just waiting to happen.

Before the regular rodeo performances which begins at 2 pm, the kids in the junior rodeo have a chance to show their stuff in events like mutton busting, steer riding, and barrel racing. We don't get an opportunity to watch the events, but we see the kids coming and going from the arena. When I was a kid, I remember cowboys like Roy Rodgers were my heros, and I had the hat, boots, and even the cap gun six shooters. Most of these kids don't have a clue who Roy Rodgers was, but I suspect they have role models who fit into the cowboy or cowgirl image.

This young cowboy is proudly showing off his mutten busting trophy.

We watched one youngster, who I would guess was about 3 or 4 years old, following his dad with a rope, and actually lasso one of his dads legs. I guess the rule about never starting too young applies to roping skills as well as anything else.

Today is the second day of "slack" competition, where the hundreds of contestants in the timed events (calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, and barrel racing) continue trying to qualify for the last rodeo performances on Thursday through Sunday. Yesterday the competition was finished by 3pm, and the place was a ghost town by 3:30. Today is day 4 of 9.

COMPUTER CRISIS

When I turned on the laptop this morning, it would not boot up, just a blank screen. I tried everything, and still nothing. Later in the morning, I called a computer repair company in Lake Havasu City that we've done business with, and the fellow on the phone was helpful, but after trying a couple of things, still a blank screen. His phone diagnosis was a possible failed hard drive, or failed motherboard. Rats! It's not like me to be too dependent on anything, or anybody, but come on, no computer. I have to admit, I'm more reliant on this magical gizmo with a keyboard, than I ever thought possible. I made a frantic phone call to my son around the lunch hour, asking some advice on where I should look for a new computer, and what kind I should buy. Marc said I'll be over to take a look at it before you do anything else. Within 10 minutes after arrival, he had the back of the computer off, the hard drive out and replaced with an old one, and the thing fired right up. Saved by the kid! Thanks Marc. Wohooo, I don't have to go computer shopping this afternoon. I do think however, a new laptop is in the near future, since this one is about 6 years old, and becoming more and more problematic.

A view of the trailer from the east grandstands, before the crowd started to arrive.

Some of the stock pens behind the grandstands.

More stock pens.

The rodeo arena with some of the grandstands that seat about 11,000.

After Marc fixed the laptop, I bought him lunch, and we had a quick visit before he headed back to work. Tomorrow, we will have our Granddaughter Laila for a sleepover, and while I'm keeping the trailer doors open, I suspect Wednesday will be a Grandma/Laila day. Today, tomorrow, and Wednesday, there is rodeo competition in the timed events, but no performances, and the public crowds are very small. Thursday, the big parade kicks off the day, and 4 days of rodeo through the weekend.

HORSES EVERYWHERE

First day of the Tucson Rodeo, and we're open for business.

Patty's waiting for her first customer.

Yesterday was the first of nine rodeo days here in Tucson. Our merchandise trailer is parked next to the pathway that leads into the arena, and it's this horse freeway that provides lots of good cowboy, and cowgirl sightings. All of the contestants, and anyone else on horseback, must pass by the trailer to our left. It's a day long parade, and it's one that we never get tired of watching.

There's usually a downside to most everything, and in this particular case, all of the horse traffic creates a lot of dust. We're constantly battling this airborne invasion, but there's only so much we can do. Fortunately, most of our apparel is in sealed plastic bags, and that keeps the dust away from those items.

Our sales on opening day were close to what we did last year, but down just a little. One of the things that we enjoy about this event, is after doing it for multiple years, we've gotten to know a lot of people, and we're always welcomed back. Most of the work that goes into putting on this rodeo is done by volunteers, who year after year, keep donating their time to one of the oldest, and largest rodeos in the country. This is the 87th annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Festival of the Cowboys), and each afternoon performance lasts a little over 3 hours, which includes a little junior rodeo action.

We've got 8 more days of rodeo, and I suspect there will be a lot more pictures of folks on horseback. We're still waiting for our first customer to ride up to the trailer counter on his/her horse.